Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Hair Raising Item

Definately without a doubt it was a new image that was needed for my summer holiday. That evening all engagements were cancelled with Coroanation St, Emmerdale and Eastenders. Settled down for the evening with every brochure and mag at my side, I flicked through every page of every mag not leaving a page unturned. Returning the next day from the shops armed with hair colouring lotions conditioners scissors etc.

I raced up the stairs to the bathroom missing every other step with sheer excitement. No animosty spared between the old image in the mirror as I said my goodbyes Smelling like a peroxide skunk I carried on following the instructions on the box. No matter how sweet scented that sachet of conditioner was it was not powerful to rid the odour that lingered, but it was all going to be worthwhile in the end I said to myself as I glanced down for about the hundredth time at the picture in the mag.

Forty minutes was up and it was now time to rinse dry and style. (Enter the blonde bombshell) Staring down at the picture in the magazine and back to my reflection in the mirror, told me something was not right Two styles couldnt be any more different. I screamed out loud.

After explaining about how I felt about myself I handed him the magazine with the picture of this fabulous hairstyle on this beautiful model. He looked for a long while at the photo and then back at me, repeating this motion many times. Darling I do not want to upset you he replied, but the reason that you will never have that look is because you do not have that face. So why not make do with what God gave you. I have made do with what god gave you for 34 years and I still like what I see.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Hair Loss Products Guide

Hair loss is a genetic/hormonal process that can affect both men and women. Hormones that bind to hair follicles can cause an imbalance in the biological processes that cause hair growth. Eventually, excess hormones on the follicle cause hair to stop growing and the follicle dies.

Hair loss products, if they are at all serious, work by either promoting hair growth, reducing the amount of hormones in the body, reducing inflammation at the follicle, or handling the autoimmune response that occurs as a result of too many hormones at the follicle site.

Hundreds of thousands of hair loss products are on the market today and only some are regulated and proven to actually be effective in helping prevent hair loss. A well-known product for hair-loss is Rogaine, a shampoo that works by promoting hair growth and retarding hair loss. Another product taken orally is Propecia, which works at the hormonal level to stop binding at the follicle site.

Friday, February 8, 2008

Cause of Hair Loss

Normally, about 10 percent of the hair on your head is resting (not growing). After a few months, the resting hair falls out and new hair begins to grow in its place. While in the growing phase, hair will gain approximately 1 centimeter a month. It is normal to experience hair loss every day as part of this normal resting/growing cycle.

Some people experience excessive hair loss from a variety of causes. The cause of hair loss is multi-variable. Most people erroneously believe that hair loss is caused by things like bad circulation, stress, sweat and dirt on the scalp, or wearing hats. This hair loss is also temporary. The real cause of hair loss lies with hormonal problems. Hair loss occurs when male or female hormones (androgens and estrogens) are out of balance.

Male and female-pattern baldness is the most common form of hair loss. This is caused by a hormone called DHT, a naturally occurring hormone that helps in sexual development. After puberty, an increase in DHT causes an increase in binding at hair follicle protein receptor sites which throws the process of healthy hair growth off. Other causes of hair loss may be medicine. Infections of the scalp can cause hair loss as well as certain diseases like lupus and diabetes.

Monday, February 4, 2008

Hair Loss Solutions With Cosmetic

Many people suffering from hair loss prefer not to use the strong drugs and medications that currently form the best available treatment options. They may have tried a range of treatments but found they did not work or perhaps suffered unpleasant side effects.

There are a number of solutions available :

1. Creative styling - this is perhaps the easiest option but its success depends on how far your hair loss has progressed. Slight balding can easily be camouflaged by careful grooming but attempts at covering large bald patches can end up looking ridiculous. One option for men with extensive thinning is to shave the head completely but this is not for everyone.

2. Hair cosmetics - this can include anything from hair thickening / volumizing products to dyes and fibers that blend with existing hair. Once again, these solutions really only work if the area of scalp to be covered is minimal.

3. Head coverings - seen by many as a last resort, wigs and hairpieces offer a further option. Once an object of derision, hairpieces have improved beyond recognition in recent years, although the price you are prepared to pay will determine the realism of the final result.

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Hair Loss and Andropause

Imagine clumps of hair falling off your head, or observing strands of once healthy hair collecting in the shower drain. Maybe you run your hand through your hair and feel it thinning.

Typically, hair loss is a result of an imbalance of male testosterone hormone in the body. Instead of infusing the hair with healthy testosterone, enzymes break it down to a simpler form known as dihydrotestosterone.

An excess of this hormone has the effect of decreasing the size of hair follicles which eventually break down and make your hair fall off sporadically. The medical condition that is best associated with hair loss in Andropause sufferers is hyperthyroidism.

Andropause sufferers’ hormones have a profound effect on the rate and consistency of hair loss. Dihydrotestosterone (considered by medical circles the strongest, most potent form of testosterone) is responsible for building and growing body hair in men (at normal levels - an excess causes hair degeneration.)

This includes body hair, pubic hair, head hair, armpit hair – any hair. Realize, women also have DHT in their bodies but produce less of it. That explains why women don’t have body hair. Case in point: an excess of DHT is prevalent in Andropause sufferers, explaining the reason for hair loss. Typically, hair grows at a rate of a quarter inch every 2 weeks.

Andropause sufferers have their ¨hair growth cycles¨ disrupted when there is erratic growth of some hair strands where ¨new¨ hair pushed ¨old¨ hair out. There are also hair loss products that can help you recapture your hair.

Secondary causes of hair loss in men suffering Andropause is stress. More specifically, stress raises the levels of cortisol and cortisone (known as stress hormones) in the body. Eating non-nutritional foods also speeds up hair loss. Pretty much any activity that speeds up the aging process will speed up your hair loss

Hair Loss Facts

Although alopecia, or hair loss, can occur anywhere on the body, it is most upsetting when it happens on the scalp where the loss can be embarrassing and difficult to cover up. Some medications can contribute to hair loss. For women, hormone fluctuations, such as pregnancy can cause hair loss. The attributed to any of these causes is generally only temporary.

Most female hair loss occurs over the entire scalp. Women's hair loss generally begins at any age through 50, or later, and may not have any hereditary association. If you are a woman experiencing hair loss it is best to seek advice from a professional in hair restoration. Be aware that sometimes hair loss can be a sign of illness.

For some women, improper care, or being "hard" on the hair can cause hair loss. This would be most common for women who wear their hair in pigtails or tight cornrows. The pulling and tugging can cause hair loss and can promote scarring of the scalp. If the pulling and tugging are stopped hair will usually grow back normally. Years of this type of abuse can cause permanent scarring which can prevent regrowth of hair.

It is believed that approximately 35 million men in the United States suffer from hair loss that is called male pattern hair loss. This hair loss usually starts at an early age and develops into more extensive baldness. This hair loss in men is caused by what is called DHT, which is a hormone in men that causes the hair follicle to shrink.

There are many, many treatments that claim to help with hair loss. Natural shampoos with natural algae and botanicals, shampoo with natural DHT inhibitors and nutrients, and some treatments that combine essential oils with a pulsed electromagnetic field. Propecia is a pill taken once daily which is advertised to be safe and effective for male pattern hair loss. This is one of the hair loss remedies that claims to halt the effects of DHT - dihydrotestosterone - the reason men have thinning and hair loss.